A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR

EMERGING COMMUNITY LEADERS

  • Are you currently engaged in making a positive difference within your local community or area?
  • Are you part of a new generation of community leaders who became active since 1998?
  • Are you interested in learning more about ‘dealing with the past’ issues in Northern Ireland and internationally?

INCORE at the University of Ulster, Intercomm Ireland, Glencree Peace & Reconciliation Group and the Peace and Reconciliation Group are currently accepting applications for community leaders to participate in an exciting project called ‘Journeys Out’. The Journeys Out Project aims to engage a new generation of community leaders in the debate about ‘dealing with the past’, to explore these issues within their local communities and to learn more from international experiences of ‘dealing with the past’ following conflict.

During 2010 - 2011, the project will work with 24 emerging community leaders from a variety of backgrounds and experiences over the course of 12-months to explore the legacy of the conflict and how local communities can make a contribution to the on-going debate on how to ‘deal with the past’.

Involvement in the project will require a significant commitment on the part of the participants. However, the rewards will also be considerable.

If selected, you will have an opportunity to:

  • Receive training in facilitation skills, dealing with the past issues, community auditing and workshop development.
  • Be supported by project partners to undertake community research and deliver workshop(s) on conflict-related themes;
  • Participate in an international study visit to explore community responses to dealing with the past following conflict;
  • Engage, and learn from, other emerging community leaders making positive contributions within their local areas;
  • Gain access to key policymakers and practitioners working on dealing with the past issues through policy seminars;

In order to qualify for participation, applicants must:

  • Have become actively involved in community relations or community development work on either a paid or voluntary basis since 1998 (i.e. post Belfast/Good Friday Agreement);
  • Have significant experience of community leadership in one of the following areas targeted by the project:
  • West or East Belfast
  • Strabane
  • Ballymena
  • South Armagh/ North County Monaghan
  • Fermanagh/Cavan border
  • Be willing to commit, on a voluntary basis, up to 30 days of their time between September 2010 and June 2011 to undertake a range of project activities;
  • Be available during working hours and have permission to participate in the project by employers, if necessary;
  • Be willing and able to travel locally and to take part in a 7-10 day international study visiton ‘dealing with the past’ in early 2011.
  • Be interested in, and willing to work on a cross-community basis with participants from a range of backgrounds, areas and experiences.

Interested in Applying?

If you interested in participating in this important new project, more information and application forms are available from:

Conor Maskey, Intercomm, 290-292 Antrim Road, Belfast, BT15 5AA

, or 028 90352165

or

Shirley Brace, Peace and Reconciliation Group, 16 Bishop Street, Derry/Londonderry,

BT48 6PW , or 028 7136 9206

or

Eamon Rafter, Glencree centre for Peace & Reconciliation, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow

or Tel+353 (0) 1 282 9711

or

Janet Farren INCORE, University of Ulster, Aberfoyle House, Northland Road, Derry/Londonderry, BT48 7JL

Tel: 028 713 75575

Closing Date for Applications is 4pm on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7th 2010.

The process of selecting participants will address the need for a diversity of political/religious affiliation and ethnicity, and a balance of gender representation. Those from minority ethnic groups, currently engaged in community relations/development are actively encouraged to apply.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Project Description

The purpose of the Journeys Out project is to advance ‘bottom-up’ approaches to dealing with the past in Northern Ireland and the Border Region by:

  • Building the capacity of community leaders to engage in the debate about dealing with the past on an inter-community basis;
  • Assisting local communities in identifying and addressing their needs in terms of dealing with the past; and
  • Acting as a complement and resource to the ‘top-down’ dealing with the past initiatives instigated in Northern Ireland in recent times.

Project Partners

Building on the success of Year 1, the Journeys Out project is delivered by INCORE (International Conflict Research Institute), based at the University of Ulster, in partnership with the Peace and Reconciliation Group, Derry/Londonderry, Intercomm Ireland, based in Belfast, and the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, Co. Wicklow.

Participants

The project will select 24 participants who are active within their communities to engage in a year-long programme of activities aimed at exploring bottom-up approaches to dealing with the legacy of conflict, both locally and internationally. These community leaders will be drawn from a number of target areas within Northern Ireland and the Border Counties to ensure a diversity of experiences and allow for new connections to be made and networks to be formed. In recognition of the increasing diversity of our communities, the project will also seek to engage participants from – or working with – minority ethnic groups in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties, bring a new dimension and richness to the debate around ‘dealing with the past’.

Activities

Selected participants must be available to undertake all of the following activities, which will take place between September 2010 and July 2011

Activity / Time Commitment / Provisional Dates
Project Induction / 7 hours / Sept 7th 2010
Training Needs Assessment (questionnaire) / 1 hour / TBA
2 X 1 day training/info sessions / 2 days / TBA
2 X3 days training residential sessions / 6 days / 27th - 29th Sept 2010
18th - 20th January 2011
2 X2 days training residential session / 4 days / 4 -5th November 2010
7th – 8th February 2011
DWP Community Audits / 30 hours / March 2011
Community Workshops / 10 hours / April 2011
Video interviews / 2 hours / TBA
Int’l Study Visits / 7-10 days / Mid May 2011
Policy Seminars / 7 hours / June 2011
Final Reflection seminar / 4 hours / July 2011
Project Evaluation participation / 3 hours / Ongoing

The above activities will involve each participant agreeing (in writing) to commit up to 30 days (including time away from home during the international study visit) to the project between September 2010 and June 2011. All of the activities listed below are free of charge to participants and meals, travel and accommodation costs will be covered for project activities. No payments will be made to the participants or their employers for their time spent on the project.